Course Title: Basic Bookkeeping

Short Description
Learn the foundations of bookkeeping, including recording transactions, organising financial documents, managing invoices and reconciling bank accounts.

Course Overview
Basic Bookkeeping introduces the everyday processes used to maintain accurate business financial records. Learners explore key accounting terms, the accounting equation and how transactions are recorded using debits and credits.

Through practical examples and exercises, the course covers sales, purchases, receipts, payments and bank reconciliation. Learners also practise identifying common errors and interpreting basic financial reports.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:

• Explain the purpose of bookkeeping and its relationship to accounting.

• Identify assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses.

• Apply the accounting equation to simple transactions.

• Explain debits and credits in a basic double-entry system.

• Organise source documents and record everyday transactions.

• Track customer invoices and supplier bills.

• Prepare a simple bank reconciliation.

• Recognise common bookkeeping errors.

• Interpret introductory financial reports.

Course Topics

1. Introduction to Bookkeeping — Understanding financial records, bookkeeping responsibilities and the accounting cycle.

2. Key Accounting Concepts — Exploring assets, liabilities, equity, income, expenses and the accounting equation.

3. Debits and Credits — Recording simple transactions using double-entry bookkeeping.

4. Source Documents and Record Organisation — Managing invoices, receipts, bills and supporting evidence.

5. Recording Sales and Purchases — Entering transactions and distinguishing cash transactions from credit transactions.

6. Receivables and Payables — Tracking money owed by customers and amounts owed to suppliers.

7. Bank Reconciliation — Comparing records with bank statements and investigating differences.

8. Trial Balance and Common Errors — Checking account balances and understanding the limitations of a balanced trial balance.

9. Basic Financial Reports — Introducing the profit and loss statement and balance sheet.

10. Practical Bookkeeping Routine — Creating a checklist for regular recording, checking and review.

Who Should Attend?
Small business owners, administrative staff, aspiring bookkeepers and other adults seeking introductory bookkeeping skills.

Delivery Method: Online, self-paced learning
Suggested Duration: 3–4 hours, including practical exercises
Prerequisites: No bookkeeping experience required. Basic numeracy is helpful.

Learning Activities

• Transaction classification exercises.

• Simple journal and ledger entries.

• Customer invoice and supplier bill scenarios.

• A bank reconciliation exercise.

• Basic financial report interpretation.

• Knowledge checks and a bookkeeping checklist.

Suggested Completion Requirements

• Complete all course modules.

• Complete the practical bookkeeping exercises.

• Achieve at least 80% in the final knowledge assessment, with further attempts available.

Certificate
A certificate of completion may be issued after learners meet the course requirements, where enabled by the training provider.

Course Scope
This course provides introductory bookkeeping education. It does not confer a professional qualification or authorise the provision of regulated tax or BAS services. Business-specific tax and reporting questions should be referred to an appropriately qualified professional.